Trade Promotion Europe Annual Conference
Reshaping Trade - Diversification in Action
On the occasion of the Centenary celebrations of ITA – Italian Trade Agency, we are delighted to welcome you to "DIVERSIFY TO GROW: new pathways to resilience for European SMEs." This event will take place on Friday, June 12, 2026, in Rome, within the framework of the Trade Promotion Europe (TPE) Annual Conference.
Trade Promotion Europe is the association representing European Trade Promotion Organizations and Agrifood Promotion Organizations. It is dedicated to fostering a unified dialogue with European Union institutions and promoting highly effective collaboration among its members.
The 2026 TPE Annual Conference, conducted in English, will center on the strategic theme of "Diversification." The objective is to explore how European Trade Promotion Organizations can actively enhance the resilience and global competitiveness of European SMEs amidst a rapidly evolving international landscape.
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Date: 12/06/2026
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Location: ITA Headquarters - Via Liszt, 21, 00144 Rome RM, Italy
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Language: English (with translation Italian English from 9:30 to 11:00)
Organized by Trade Promotion Europe
One voice for European trade and agrifood promotion
Trade Promotion Europe (TPE) brings together national and regional trade and agrifood promotion organisations to build a stronger, more connected trade promotion community. We foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing among our members, while engaging with EU institutions as a unified voice to ensure that trade policies translate into real-world impact. By bridging local expertise with European strategy, we help businesses, especially exporting SMEs, grow beyond borders and strengthen Europe’s position in global trade.
Hosted by Italian Trade Agency
ITA - Italian Trade Agency is the Governmental agency that supports the business development of our companies abroad and promotes the attraction of foreign investment in Italy.
With a motivated and modern organization and a widespread network of overseas offices, ITA provides information, assistance, consulting, promotion and training to Italian small and medium-sized businesses. Using the most modern multi-channel promotion and communication tools, it acts to assert the excellence of Made in Italy in the world.
AGENDA
Reshaping Trade - Diversification in Action
Friday, June 12, 2026
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09:00-9:30
Registration & welcome coffee
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09:30-10:00
Institutional greetings - Celebration of ITA's 100 years anniversary Matteo Zoppas, President of Italian Trade Agency Read BioBorn in Pordenone in 1974, Matteo Zoppas graduated in Business Administration from Luigi Bocconi University in Milan. He subsequently earned two Master’s degrees from CUOA, specializing in Lean Manufacturing and Business Administration. An Analyst in the Equity Investments Department of Mediobanca from 2002 to 2003, he has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Operation Smile Italia and was a member of the Central Council of the national Confindustria. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Acqua Minerale San Benedetto SpA. Elected President of Confindustria Venezia in 2013, from May 2015 he served as President of Confindustria Venezia Metropolitan Area of Venice and Rovigo, and subsequently, from 2017 to 2019, as President of Confindustria Veneto.
Alessandra Pastorelli, Head of the Office Direction and Supervision of ITA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Read BioAlessandra Pastorelli started her diplomatic career in December 2001. Since 2001, she has worked in different capacities with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. In September 2002, she served at the Directorate General for the Mediterranean and the Middle East and in September 2004, she was appointed Chief of the Economic Section at the Italian Embassy in Addis Ababa. Moderator: Sebastiano Barisoni, Deputy Executive Director of Radio 24 Read BioBorn in Rome, originally from Venice, and a graduate in International Relations from Florence, he hosts "Focuseconomia" and serves as the Executive Deputy Director of Radio 24. A professional journalist since 1996, after three years of experience in London at Bloomberg Television, he joined Radio 24 in 1999, where he covers finance and savings, initially hosting "Salvadanaio". In 2020, he published his first book, "Terra incognita", in which he analyzes the structural consequences of the ongoing fourth industrial revolution, distinguishing them from the cyclical and temporary impacts caused by the various crises that have unfolded in recent years. |
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10:00-10:10
Welcoming words Vasso Kyrkou, Trade Promotion Europe's President and Director General of Communications, Marketing and Stakeholder Relations, Enterprise Greece Read BioVasso is the general director of communications, marketing & stakeholder relations at Enterprise Greece, where she has worked for more than 20 years. An experienced communications professional, Vasso hassan extensive track record of designing and implementing international stakeholder engagement and communication strategies. Prior to joining Enterprise Greece, Vasso served in various communication roles in the private sector, mainly related to shipping, IT and education. She is also currently vice president of the ANIMA Investment Network.
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10:10-10:30
1. Diversification from the Italian point of view Lorenzo Galanti, Director General of Italian Trade Agency Read BioBorn in Stuttgart in 1968, Lorenzo Galanti entered the diplomatic service in 1993 after graduating from the "Cesare Alfieri" School of Political Sciences in Florence. Since then, he has held numerous positions at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and has served abroad at the Italian Embassies in Syria, Senegal, and the United States. From 2010 to 2014, at the Embassy in Washington, he was responsible for the economic, commercial, and financial sectors, as well as science and technology. From 2018 to 2022, he served as Ambassador of Italy to the Kingdom of Thailand, the Kingdom of Cambodia, and the Lao People's Democratic Republic, based in Bangkok, and as Permanent Observer to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). Subsequently, until July 2023, he was Diplomatic Advisor to the Minister for Disabilities at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. Throughout his professional career, particularly during his service abroad, he has consistently prioritized initiatives linked to the internationalization of Italian companies, export promotion, and the attraction of investment. On July 28, 2023, by Decree of the President of the Republic, he was appointed Director General of ICE - Agency for the promotion abroad and internationalization of Italian companies, officially taking office on August 21, 2023.
Marco Felisati, Director International Affairs, Confindustria Read BioAfter graduating in Political Science from the University of Bologna, he graduated from the Scuola di Specializzazione in Discipline Bancarie (School of Specialisation in Banking) at the University of Siena, during which time he was a visiting student at the MA in Banking & Finance at the University of North Wales, and obtained diplomas for European and international careers from ISTUD and SIOI in Rome. Between 1992 and 2002 in Brussels, he was a consultant to the Associazione Industriali di Rovigo, an official of the Confindustria Delegation to the European Union, and a Federveneto Seconded National Expert (END) to the EU Commission, where he managed an economic and industrial cooperation programme with Asia and the South East. Since 2002, he has been first Head of Core and then Deputy Head of the European Affairs and International Affairs Directorates of Confindustria.
Moderator: Sebastiano Barisoni, Deputy Executive Director of Radio 24
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10:30-11:00
2. Keynote Speech: Diversification and Competitiveness from the EU Perspective Andrea Montanino, Chief Economist and Director for Strategies and Impact Assessment at Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) Read BioAndrea Montanino is Chief Economist and Director for Strategies and Impact Assessment at Cassa Depositi e Prestiti. He also serves as Non-Executive Chairman of the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT). He has previously held senior positions in several international institutions, including Executive Director and Board Member at the International Monetary Fund, Director of the Economic Analysis Program at the Atlantic Council in Washington, D.C., and Senior Economist at the European Commission. In Italy, he was appointed Chairman of Fondo Italiano d’Investimento SGR, Head of the Research Department at Confindustria, Director General at the Ministry of Economy and Finance, where he also led the Technical Secretariat of Minister Padoa-Schioppa, and Vice President of Mediocredito Centrale. He holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Rome “La Sapienza” and a Master’s degree from the London School of Economics.
Moderator: Sebastiano Barisoni, Deputy Executive Director of Radio 24
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11:00-11:30
Coffee break
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11:30-12:00
3. FTAs as an instrument for Diversification Christophe Kiener, Head of Unit South and South East Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Chief Negotiator of EU Free Trade Agreements with Australia, India and Thailand, Directorate-General for Trade and Economic Security (DG TRADE), European Commission (online) Read BioChristophe Kiener is the Head of Unit for South and Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Trade. In this position, which he holds since March 2022, he serves as EU Chief Negotiator for the Free Trade Agreements with Australia, India and Thailand. Before taking up this role, Mr. Kiener served as Head of Unit for Services and Digital Trade for 6 years. During this time, he co-chaired the negotiations on the Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA) and served as EU Chief Negotiator in the WTO Joint Statement Initiative on e-commerce. In 2020, he also played an active part in the negotiations on the Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the UK. Among his earlier assignments in DG Trade, Mr. Kiener served as Policy Assistant to the Deputy Director-General and as Deputy Head of Unit for WTO. Before joining the European Commission in 2001, Mr. Kiener was posted in Geneva as a national Delegate to the WTO. Mr. Kiener studied at the University of Geneva (Graduate Institute for International Studies) and at the College of Europe (Bruges and Warsaw).
Paolo Garzotti, Director for the Americas, Agriculture and Food Safety and Head of the Unit responsible for the relations with Latin America and Chief Negotiator for the Modernization of the EU-Mexico Global Agreement in the Directorate-General for Trade (DG Trade), European Commission (online) Read BioMr Paolo Garzotti, born in 1967 in Verona (Italy), is currently the acting Director for the Americas, Agriculture and Food Safety and Head of the Unit responsible for the relations with Latin America in the Directorate-General for Trade (DG Trade) of the European Commission. In his current function, he has been appointed Chief Negotiator for the Modernization of the EU- Mexico Global Agreement. Following his studies at the Faculty of Law of the University of Trento (I) (Specialised course in comparative, international and European law), he started his career in the European Commission in 1994 in the Directorate-General for Customs and Taxation. In 1998, Paolo Garzotti moved to Directorate General for Trade. He has been in charge of the division (Head of Unit) dealing with multilateral affairs as well as of the one responsible for coordinating trade policy with the Council and the European Parliament. He was appointed Deputy Permanent Representative of the European Union Mission to the World Trade Organization in Geneva in September 2016, a position he held until September 2020.
Moderator: Sebastiano Barisoni, Deputy Executive Director of Radio 24
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12:00-12:30
4. Trading partners' views on EU's trade Diversification Paola Valerio, Head of Institutional Relations, SACE Read BioPaola currently heads the Institutional Affairs at SACE, the Italian Export Credit Agency, being responsible for relations with Italian and foreign stakeholders, including Ministries, International Organisations, academic and research institutions, raising awareness of the role of SACE in supporting Italian companies domestically and abroad. Paola is also serving for the fourth year as the Chairperson of the OECD Working Party on Export Credits and Credit Guarantees, a policy making official body of the OECD Trade Committee in charge of technical recommendations on good governance for officially supported export credits, including sustainable lending, environmental, social and human rights due diligence, as well as consultations with Civil Society Organizations.
Federica Ingrosso, Senior Specialist in External Relations, SIMEST Read BioFederica Ingrosso serves as Senior Specialist for Institutional Relations at SIMEST S.p.A., a company within the CDP Group dedicated to supporting the internationalization of Italian enterprises. With deep expertise in foreign trade and global business development, Federica engages with leading national and international financial institutions, industry associations, and strategic partners to foster growth opportunities and strengthen the global presence of Italian companies.
Amit Lohani, Director, FIFI (Forum of Indian Food Importers) (online) Read BioAmit Lohani, recipient of the prestigious India Achievers Award and recognised among the “50 Under 50” influential leaders, has received several national and international accolades for his contributions to the agrifood and beverage sector. He is the CEO and Founder of Max Inc., a leading Indian company engaged in the import and export of agricultural, food, and beverage products. He also serves as the Founder Director of the Forum of Indian Food Importers (FIFI), a not-for-profit chamber dedicated to fostering an enabling trade environment for the agriculture, food, and beverage sector and its stakeholders within Indian commerce. Mr. Lohani has been a strong advocate for policy and apprenticeship reforms in India, contributing significantly towards several Government of India sectoral regulations and policy discussions. Over the years, he has served on multiple government and industry committees, playing an active role in strengthening India’s agriculture, food, and beverage ecosystem.
Vincent Furlan, Policy Specialist, Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) (online) Read BioVincent is Policy Specialist at ApexBrasil, the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency, which works to enhance the competitiveness of Brazilian products and services in international markets. Based in Brussels, Vincent monitors EU policies and regulations that may impact Brazilian companies, with a particular focus on the EU-Mercosur Agreement and the opportunities it can unlock for both regions.
Moderator: Sebastiano Barisoni, Deputy Executive Director of Radio 24
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12:30-13:30
Lunch
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13:30-14:15
5. Global Gateway as an instrument for Diversification Alberto Gavín Acero, Economic Diplomacy and Multilateral Project Manager at Basque Trade & Investment Read BioAlberto Gavin Acero holds a degree in Political Science and two master’s degrees: an MBA and a Master's in International Business Management. He has over 20 years of international experience in trade, investment promotion, EU-funded technical assistance, and SME internationalisation across Europe, Latin America, and Africa. For the past 9 years, he has worked at Basque Trade & Investment, the Basque Government's internationalisation agency, helping Basque companies access international opportunities, with a focus on multilateral projects, procurement, and strategic global value chains. He represents Basque Trade & Investment at Trade Promotion Europe, where he serves as Vice-Chair of the Global Gateway Working Group. Alberto brings expertise in public-private partnerships, competitive intelligence, business engagement, and connecting companies, institutions, and international development opportunities.
Martin Labbe, Business Support Organisation Digitalisation & Ecosystems Expert, ITC Read BioMartin Labbé is a Senior Adviser in the Institutions & Ecosystems team at the International Trade Centre (ITC), where he serves as relationship manager for Trade Promotion Europe (TPE). In this capacity, he leads ITC’s engagement with TPE and oversees collaboration between European trade promotion organisations and their counterparts in emerging markets under several international development programmes. He has contributed to the TPE Masterclass with a session on TPO digitalisation and worked with the TPE Secretariat to adapt and deliver the programme for trade promotion organisations from the East African Community in Tanzania. Martin advises entrepreneurship and business support organisations on ecosystem development, institutional strengthening and digital transformation. Over the past decade, he has designed and managed multi-million-dollar trade and private sector development programmes in emerging markets, helping institutions strengthen their services and increase their impact on SMEs and entrepreneurs.
Carlo Maria Rossotto, Director of Development Cooperation and International Institutional Relations, CDP Group's Read BioCarlo Maria Rossotto Director of Development Cooperation and International Institutional Relations of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP), where he leads all development finance operations, reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer. In this capacity, he defines and executes CDP’s global development finance strategy, mobilizing capital at scale for strategic infrastructure and private sector development initiatives aligned with Italy’s Piano Mattei and the European Union’s Global Gateway agenda. With more than 25 years of international experience in development and investment banking, Carlo has built and led complex financing platforms across Africa, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia. He brings extensive expertise in structuring sovereign and sub-sovereign financing, corporate transactions, blended finance solutions, and public-private partnerships, operating at the intersection of governments, multilateral institutions, sovereign wealth funds, development finance institutions, and leading global investors. During his career at the World Bank Group, including as Global Lead at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), he originated and executed high-impact transactions across many industries and geographies. He has worked closely with ministers of finance, economy and infrastructure, as well as chief executives and boards of major corporations, and is recognized for his ability to navigate complex political and regulatory environments, design sophisticated financial structures, and mobilize institutional capital for transformational projects in emerging markets. Carlo combines deep transaction expertise with high-level policy dialogue and stakeholder engagement, positioning him as a senior executive operating at the highest levels of global finance and public sector engagement.
Rita Araujo, Advisor to the Board of the Portuguese Trade & Investment Agency, AICEP Read BioRita Araujo is Advisor to the Board at AICEP Portugal Global, where she oversees initiatives related to innovation, technology, and international business development. She also represents AICEP at Trade Promotion Europe and serves as Portugal’s OECD National Contact Point for Responsible Business Conduct. Over nearly two decades at AICEP, Araujo has held several senior leadership positions, including Executive Board Member, and Commercial Director. Her work focuses on investment promotion and international trade.
Moderator: Annemieke Broesterhuizen, Managing Director International Trade, Netherlands Enterprise Agency, RVO Read BioMrs. Broesterhuizen is Director International Trade at the Netherlands Enterprise Agency. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (NEA) encourages entrepreneurs in sustainable, agricultural, innovative and international business. It helps with grants, finding business partners, know-how and compliance with laws and regulations. All in close cooperation with public and private partners. The NEA offers programs in the field of International Trade, International Development, International Innovation and the Netherlands Space Industry. Furthermore the NEA pursues acquisition policy and is responsible for counselors, attaches and local staff worldwide. The aim of the International Trade Department is to strengthen the position of Dutch entrepreneurs abroad and support seizing opportunities in foreign markets and realizing their International ambitions. Mrs. Broesterhuizen has previously been working in different management positions in the private sector as well as the International Trade department of the NEA. She has studied at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam.
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14:15-14:45
6. Single market for Diversification Outi Slotboom, Director of Supply Chains and Business Analysis, DG GROW, European Commission (online) Read BioOuti Slotboom is Director for Supply Chains and Business Analysis in the Directorate General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs. Her work focuses on monitoring and analysing the business environment and the performance of EU industrial ecosystems in the Single market and globally, with particular attention to small and medium-sized enterprises. She previously worked in the Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs and, prior to joining the European Commission, in the Finnish Ministry of Finance.
Stefano da Empoli, President, Institute for Competitiveness (I-Com) Read BioStefano da Empoli is President and Principal Policy Analyst of I-Com (Institute for Competitiveness), a leading Italian think tank on competitiveness, innovation, and digital policy, with offices in Rome and Brussels. Since 2017, I-Com has been a member of the Global Trade and Innovation Policy Alliance (GTIPA), a worldwide network of more than 50 think tanks dedicated to advancing research and policy dialogue on trade, innovation, and technology issues. Stefano also teaches Economics of Digital Competition and Innovation at Roma Tre University. Between 2018 and 2020, he served as a member of the Italian Government’s High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence. In 2026, he was appointed by the European Commission to the AI Act Advisory Forum as I-Com’s representative. He has authored numerous essays and articles on digital transformation, innovation, and artificial intelligence. His books include Artificial Intelligence: The Last Call (2019), The Economics of ChatGPT: Between False Fears and Real Risks (2023), and AI and Competitiveness: An Operational Guide for Businesses (co-edited with Luca Gatto, 2025), all published in Italian by EGEA.
Moderator: Maria Ortiz, Economic & Commercial Counsellor of ICEX Read BioMaría Ortiz Aguilar is Economic and Commercial Counsellor at the Economic and Commercial Office of Spain in Brussels (ICEX), where she oversees Spain’s economic and trade relations with Belgium and Luxembourg and supports the internationalisation of Spanish businesses. Previously, she served as Trade Adviser at Spain’s Permanent Representation to the European Union, leading the Spanish delegation in the Trade Policy, Services, and Investment Committee. Her career has also included senior positions in competition policy and market regulation within the Spanish administration, notably at the National Commission for Markets and Competition. Maria Ortiz holds a law degree from Complutense University of Madrid.
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14:45-15:00
Break
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15:00-16:00
7. TPO services for Diversification Giorgio Lupoi, President, Association of Italian Engineering, Architectural and Technical-Economic Consulting Organizations (OICE) Read BioGiorgio Lupoi, PhD, is CEO and Partner of SPERI, one of Italy’s leading multidisciplinary architecture and engineering firms. He oversees the company’s strategic development, operations, business growth, and innovation activities. With more than 20 years of experience in engineering design and construction management, he has led major infrastructure and building projects in Italy and abroad. A strong advocate of research and innovation, he has contributed to national and international projects on seismic and tsunami risk assessment. He is also President of OICE (Italian Association of Engineering and Architecture Companies) and a frequent speaker at industry and academic events.
Anne Lanigan, TPE Board Member, Enterprise Ireland Read BioAnne is a member of the Senior Leadership Team in Enterprise Ireland, the Irish government agency responsible for the development of Irish owned enterprise. He is currently Head of the Local Enterprise & Regions Division. Anne joined Enterprise Ireland in 2003 and has held a number of management positions, including Japan Country Manager, Head of the Brexit Unit, Regional Director for Europe and most recently Divisional Manager for Technology, Services and Consumer Sectors. He is a mechanical engineer by profession and previous to joining Enterprise Ireland worked in software development, banking, medical device manufacturing and international consultancy. Anne also currently sits on the boards of the Design and Crafts Council of Ireland and Brussels based Trade Promotion Europe. He represents Trade Promotion Europe, an association of European trade promotion organisations, on the Global Gateway Business Advisory Group. Anne passionately believes in the potential of European enterprise.
Eckart Von Unger, TPE Board Member, GTAI Read BioEckart von Unger is Managing Director of the Market Research Department at Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI). GTAI is the foreign trade and inward investment promotion agency of the Federal Republic of Germany. Eckart’s department maintains an extensive network of correspondents around the world and reports on market opportunities and risks for German SMEs. Before joining GTAI in Bonn, Eckart worked for 20 years at the Federation of German Industries (BDI) in Berlin and Brussels, most recently as deputy head of the external economic policy department. In this role, he was responsible for international trade policy and representing BDI's respective interests vis-à-vis the EU institutions. Prior to this, Eckart held various positions at BDI headquarters, including Director Country Desk for the Asia-Pacific region and Coordinator of the North Africa and Middle East Initiative of German Business. He began his professional career in the press office of the Free Democratic Party (FDP) in the German Bundestag and worked in a strategy consultancy for public and governmental affairs. Eckart von Unger studied economics at the Free University of Berlin and business administration at the University of Cologne. He was a Research Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Jakarta while writing his dissertation on the economic and financial crisis in the ASEAN.
Moderator: Cristina Serradell, Director International Trade ACCIO Read BioCristina Serradell is an economist and international trade specialist with over 20 years of experience advising SMEs on internationalization strategies. She holds a Master's degree in International Business from South Bank University in London and a Master's degree in Diplomacy and Foreign Action from Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona. Her professional experience spans the UK, the United States, and Spain, where she has led business development and international expansion initiatives. She is currently Director of International Trade at Catalonia Trade & Investment (ACCIO)
Q&As |
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16:00-16:15
Closing remarks Tindaro Paganini, Director of Italian Trade Agency for Benelux Read BioExpert in international trade, development cooperation, private sector development and export promotion, Tindaro Paganini currently holds the position of Director of Brussels office at the Italian Trade Agency (ITA), supporting the sustainable development of Italian companies in Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands and their relationships with European institutions and Nato. Previously Tindaro was Marketing Director and Manager of Training Services of ITA. He worked from 2016 to 2019 at the World Bank, as a senior expert in private sector development, investments and competitiveness, dealing with development projects in Eastern Europe and North Africa. From 2010 to 2016 worked in the office of the Executive Director of the World Bank, taking part in the activities of the Board of Directors and acting, on behalf of ITA, as a reference point for Italian companies and institutions interested in working in projects financed by the Bank, Previously, he held senior positions at ITA agency, the Ministry of Economic Development, OECD and the International Trade Centre UNCTAD/WTO. He is the author of several publications including the book "World Bank: an opportunity for young people and businesses" (Egea, 2017).
Francis Baert, Trade Promotion Europe's Vice President Read BioFrancis Baert is Director of the European Affairs Unit at Flanders Investment & Trade (FIT), based at the Permanent Representation of Belgium to the European Union. He also serves as Vice President of the Board of Trade Promotion Europe for the 2025–2026 term. Prior to his current role, Baert held several senior management positions within FIT, including Chief Strategy Officer, Head of Department, and member of the Executive Committee. Earlier in his career, he worked in academia at the College of Europe, UNU-CRIS and Ghent University. His professional interests focus on strengthening trade promotion across Europe, regional integration worldwide, particularly in times of geopolitical and economic uncertainty.
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